Arrow
by It's a maze of jaffas
Summary: Arrow. He was the rising champion of illegal two-leg cat-fighting. But then he met a tom that told him about freedom. About the clans. Now he must escape, but will he be able to live with his vicious past and settle down to the peaceful life of the clans?
1. Chapter 1

**New story-Yay! One of my favourites that I've written and *fingers crossed* it's not simular to anyone else's ideas:) Please R/R!**

**A/N: Forestclan and Meadowclan are allies, so mates from different clans are allowed. The only reason they have two clans and not one is because your clan is determined by how you prefer to hunt. –You can choose your clan when you become a warrior.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own warriors, Erin Hunter does.**

_**Summary**_

**Arrow. He was the rising champion of illegal two-leg cat-fighting. But then he met a tom that told him about freedom. About the clans. Now he must escape, but will he be able to live with his vicious past and settle down to the peaceful life of the clans?**

**Lilyheart. The beautiful daughter of Lionstar. Smart, brave and talented, she has her choice of toms. Shadeclaw, her ex, wants her back, but will she choose him against her mother's warnings?**

The black and ginger tom's thick muscles bunched as the metal gates opened. The cold air knocked the breath out of him but that was the least of his worries; here, it was survival or death. Comfort had no meaning.

It happened so quickly, but Arrow was quicker. He sprang to the left in a blur as the opposing grey tom streaked past, extended claws shining fiercely. He made a sharp turn at the edge of the arena, which was a circular stone cage with gaping holes for weak-skins to peer through. The tom also turned, and pounced onto him, belly up. Arrow could feel the sharp claws piercing his skin and releasing blood into his matted fur. It felt sticky and warm, quickly drying in the heat of battle. Twisting back around, he managed to knock the other cat off then swipe his own unnaturally long claws at him, leaving deep gashes.

The cat screeched in pain and shock; this was the moment Arrow had been waiting for. He lunged at the grey tom, and turned mid-air to be facing the same way as the tom, but on top of him. He then sunk his teeth into the cat's neck until he felt the body go limp in his jaws.

The weak-skins were making loud yelling noises, some happy, some angry. The angry weak-skins poked and prodded him wih sharp sticks and he was forced back into his cage. Hissing viciously, he managed to get the happy-weak-skins attentions and they stopped the angry ones from hurting him. Their words were unintelligible to him but their intentions were clear: Behave or be beaten.

Arrow stayed quiet the whole time, uninterested in his surroundings. They were always the same. Smoke that made him cough, lights that made him dizzy, smells that made him choke and the ever-present cage. He was taken to a weak-skin mover which stank even more than the building they were just in. Thrown into the dark cave it had, he felt so unloved and hurt. Why didn't they care for him? He did what they wanted. He killed his opponents. Shouldn't they love him more? But his pleas went unanswered as the mover bounced along the rugged black road.

"But father, must I really go?" complained the silver tabby angrily. Couldn't Lionstar see that she didn't like any of the toms in this or any clan?

"Lilyheart, my dear daughter, why do you whine so much? We have plenty of good-looking toms in Forestclan. Plus, there's always Meadowclan. I know Shadeclaw's quite a catch…" The she-cat shook her head fiercely.

"No! I don't care what you say! I hate Shadeclaw as much as I hate you!" she yowled, running out of the leader's den in a tantrum. How dare he propose that she and Shadeclaw would become mates-how could he even _think_ that? And then she remembered.

"_Lilypaw, can I speak to you?" he had asked seductively, and she had nodded happily._

"_Sure! What is it?" The dark grey tom smiled brilliantly, his glossy fur glowing it the starlight. He moved closer to her and whispered in her ear._

"_I love you…" Lilypaw had moved back, shocked._

"…_really?"_

"_Really. Forever." He replied, intertwining his tail with hers…_

But then…

"_Shadepaw!" meowed Lilypaw, running to his side. "Why haven't you been talking to me?" she demanded, her blue eyes blazing. It had been three days…_

"_Lilypaw, I have something to tell you." He meowed, not looking at her._

"_..What is it?" she replied calmly, though her heart was racing._

"_We can not be together." Shadepaw meowed straight-forwardly, turning his amber eyes to her. "I love Juniperpaw, not you. Not anymore." Lilypaw almost screeched in hatred. They had been together for four moons…they were almost warriors…_

"_No! How? How!" Shadepaw did not even blink, not even shed a tear._

"_I only realised three days ago how incompetent you were. How stupid, how oversensitive. Now I know that Juniperpaw is better off for me. We were never meant to be. Never truly in love." He stalked off, leaving her alone and broken-hearted. _

"I hate Shadeclaw…" she muttered as she entered her den, tears spilling out like waterfalls. "I hate Lionstar…" she rested her head on her paws and closed her eyes. "I hate love."

Arrow was dropped into his bigger cage and his food-bowl was filled with disgusting pellets, not fit for rats. They didn't bother cleaning his water-bowl, instead they just topped it off with more filthy water. He shared his cage with no-one, as only lower ranking fighters did that. And ones that didn't attack their cage-mates. But the cages must have been full, because the next thing he knew a brown tom was shoved into the cage. The tom looked weak and hungry, probably a rogue. He looked fearfully at Arrow and then at the water-bowl. Arrow, water-bowl, Arrow, water-bowl. Even if he was a killer, he still had a heart and could tell how thirsty the rogue must've been.

"Go ahead." He muttered, lowering his head to his paws in apparent disinterest. The rogue attempted a thankful nod and bent down to lap up the water, one eye ficking back to Arrow every now and then. He was actually was quite interested in this new cat. Rarely did he get new cage-mates, as he was among the highest ranked and they rarely lasted when he did, because most died in their first battle. "What's your name?" he asked once the tom had settled in a corner to his far opposite. The brown tabby blinked for a second then spoke.

"..My…my name's Elmwood…I'm..I'm a warrior cat…" Arrow blinked back at him. _Warrior cat? _The rogue seemed to understand that he didn't know what that was because he continued explaining. "I..come from Meadowclan-they're a group of cats that live in peace near another clan called Forestclan. We have territories and meet every moon-high to discuss news, swap cats and decide punishments. We're called warrior cats." Arrow nodded in understanding. He never thought cats lived differently to how he lived. Maybe killing like this wasn't the only way to survive… "Where am I?" Elmwood asked, all traces of fear gone. Arrow sighed. This poor cat would die all to easily in battle.

"You're at a place where there is two teams: Fire and Shadow. This is the Fire team." Elmwood looked confused. His happy tale about clanlife was so different to Arrow's.

"We battle eachother to the death, one on one. If you win, you get a higher ranking and fight again the next day. If you don't well…" The warrior cat stared at him horrifically. He couldn't seem to believe that you had to _kill_ another cat to survive.

"..I'm not going to survive, am I?" he asked, although it wasn't a question. It was a statement. Arrow felt a pang of grief for him.

"…I don't know…"

"Fernstream, what am I going to do?" meowed Lilyheart to her best-friend. The white she-cat shrugged her shoulders.

"I have no idea. I wish I could help you, but I'm clueless!" she sighed, placing her fuffy white tail onto Lilyheart's silver back. "Just go anyway, just to please 'father dear'. Starclan will show you the way." Lilyheart didn't feel hopeful, but atleast she didn't have to decide now.

"Thanks, Fernstream." The she-cat smiled and left her alone. Lilyheart watched her touch noses joyfully with her mate, Dunethorn and pad away. If only her life was all honey and flowers. Just as she got up to leave, Cedarsky ran up to her. _Just what I need_, she thought grimly. Cedarsky was alright, but he _always_ boasted about this and that, and had the most _annoying_ crush on her.

"Hi, Lilyheart!" he meowed excitedly, "Want to come hunting with me?" Lilyheart sighed.

"..oh, um…" luckily, Lionstar padded into camp just then. "I'd, uh, love to, Cedarsky, but I can't because I have to speak with Lionstar." The brown tom hung his head.

"oh, okay. Maybe another time then." Lilyheart ran off to her father. The magnificent golden tom turned to her instantly. Was that approval she noticed in his golden eyes?

"Lilyheart! My beautiful daughter. Cedarsky is a nice tom." he meowed suggestively, but Lilyheart quickly shook her head.

"Uh-No, I mean yes, but not in that way." She meowed sternly. Lionstar saw her reaction and frowned.

"You're so lucky, Lilyheart. You need to be more appreciative of your gifts. There _are_ many nice toms around, and I think you _should_ come to the gathering tonight." Lilyheart sighed. She knew it would come to this.

"Yeah, that's what I came here for. I want to come tonight. I _will_ come tonight." Lionstar shook his big head, surprised. "Really." She meowed surely.

Elmwood was taken away early the next morning. Not sure that they would see each-other again, they had said farewells. Now Arrow was lonely again. Even if Elmwood survived his first battle, how would he survive the next? Arrow and the other fighting cats were bred for this-he was just an everyday forest cat_. But even fighting cats die… _A voice seemed to whisper and Arrow froze. It all seemed to come to him so quickly. Why hadn't he thought of it before? It was as if a shining star was guiding him. He and Elmwood would somehow escape when they fed them, then they would run away to the clans! It was so simple. Arrow knew his way around here, Elmwood knew his way back home. There was only one flaw; what if Elmwood didn't come back?

It was getting darker when Elmwood returned. But not in one piece. The cruel weak-skins shoved him insde the cage, a bundle of tabby fur and blood. One of his legs was unnaurally positioned and claw marks dragged down his bloody sides. His shallow breath was barely audible and Arrow immediately ran to his side. "Elmwood! What happened?" the tom shuddered.

"…Big…tom…managed to…defended…broke leg…won…" Arrow sniffed his body. The warmth was being sucked out by an invisible paw and Elmwood was rapidly getting weaker.

"No, Elmwood! Don't leave me! I need you! We can escape-go back to the clans, your home!" The tom sighed and smiled faintly.

"..home…past the rising two-legs…over fallen trees and rushing water…fields of honey…" he paused, his breath going fainter and fainter. "..believe..in Starclan, Arrow…" Spasms errupted in Elmwood's body and then the figure before him lay still.

**So what do you think? I don't like the first parts but after that it gets good:)~I hope…**

**Please review! You know you want to! Even just one word….**

**~Jaffa Maze**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two…**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: 'sigh' I do not own warriors**

Stars brighter than usual, it was going to be an interesting night. Fernstream had stayed behind with Dunethorn, so Lilyheart only had Freesiapelt to keep her company.

"I can't wait to see if Moutaindew's here tonight." Meowed the calico she-cat, who was padding beside Lilyheart. "…She might have brought her brother, Hawkclaw…" Lilyheart knew that Freesiapelt had a crush on Hawkclaw, and everyone else in the clans knew too. Secrets didn't last long. "Is there anyone you want to see tonight, Lilyheart?"

"…no-one particular…" she replied cooly. The only reason she'd come tonight was because she wanted to congratulate Blueberry, her friend, on becoming medicine cat of Meadowclan. The former medicine cat, Beesting, had retired.

"…no-one in particular?"" Freesiapelt repeated slyly. Lilyheart shook her head.

"No. I just want to congratulate Blueberry, that's all." Her friend seemed to accept her reason and stopped interegating her. The she-cats continued on quietly, listeing to the scraps of gossip being relayed around the travelling group. Lionstar had chosen to take her, Freesiapelt, Ravenclaw, Chivepaw, Cedarsky, Waterspirit, Pinetail, Daylight, Sandcloud, Fishscale, Volepaw and the deputy, Brightcloud.

"I heard that Mousestep was having _Bearfang's _kits, after breaking it off with Goatfoot." Whispered Daylight. Pinetail gasped.

"_Really?_ What'd he do? Those two were _perfect_ for each-other!" The golden she-cat chuckled, enjoying the attention. Pinetail didn't seem to notice however, caught up in shock. "It must've been something terrible!"

"Well," began Daylight, "_Apparently_ she saw him flirting with Whitesnow."

"The mouse-brain!" cried Pinetail, and by now, the whole clan was listening. Mousestep was born into Forestclan, but left to be with Goatfoot as an apprentice. She was well-known to be a bit of a 'drifter', as in, she flirted with quite a few toms. Goatfoot however, was quite shy and stern. It was hard to believe that he had cheated on her. Lilyheart wasn't interested in the gossip and stopped listening.

"What do you think of that?" meowed Freesiapelt in awe, a few moments later.

"Of what?"

"Shadeclaw has broken off with Junipercloud." Lilyheart froze in shock. He _what?_

"What! How? Why? When?" she meowed quickly. Freesiapelt looked back at her surprised. Then she smiled.

"You still like him don't you." She whispered, just loud enough for Lilyheart to hear.

"No! I don't!" she meowed sternly, though she knew she hadn't convinced Freesiapelt.

"You do! Wait 'till he finds out! He'll run straight to your paws, Lilyheart!" she cried, obviously delighted by the fact of having a tasty piece of gossip. Lilyheart was about to stop her when Lionstar spoke.

" Forestclan, we're here!"

Arrow shot upwards just as the cage door opened. The weak-skin cried out in alarm, as the brown tom clawed his way out and bounded along the floor. He could hear the weak-skin yelling for help but they were no match for his speed. There was a reason his name was Arrow.

His pursuers were far behind when Arrow came to a dead-end. He could still hear them seaching for him, but they were too far away to be a concern. His only worry now was how to escape. He had ran in cirles around the huge building many times, and the only exit was big, locked doors and one tiny window at the top. He leapt onto a box, then another and another, until he was just over half a mover-length away. _Maybe_…. He thought, staring at the distance seriously. If he made it, the force would smash the window and he would be free. If he didn't…he stopped thinking. Even a fighting cat dies.

Yowling with craziness, he ran up and leapt the distance, scrabbling with his artificially enhanced claws. He managed to hook one between a crack and pull himself upwards. His yowl had alerted the weak-skins, and four of them were below trying to scare him into jumping back down. Because he hadn't smashed throught the window when he jumped, and couldn't now, he was trapped. One weak-skin threw a rock at him, until more joined in. Soon he was being bruised by the stones, but a new plan came into his head. He ducked and dodged the rocks, and the window was beginning to break. It smashed in a brilliant splatter of glass and he found himself falling backwards. The weak-skins cried out in anger and ran to the door, but Arrow had already recovered and was bolting into freedom.

As was tradition, the leaders gave news first and then the cats were allowed to speak amongst themselves for a while, or until dawn. Lilyheart had tried to speak to Freesiapelt before, but had been rudely cut off by another cat.

"Meadowclan, Forestclan. Please be seated and remain quiet!" yowled Falconstar loudly. Lilyheart sat next to Blueberry, whom she had managed to locate. "Meadowclan is well-fed and healthy, with little disturbances. We have a new medicine cat, as Beesting has retired. Please welcome Blueberry." Lilyheart's blue-furred friend stood up and bowed her head.

"Blueberry! Blueberry! Blueberry!" chanted the clans proudly.

"Forestclan is also healthy, and we have two new apprentices. Please welcome Volepaw and Chivepaw." Meowed Lionstar above the noise.

"Volepaw! Chivepaw! Volepaw! Chivepaw!" repeated the cats again.

"You are now free to mix with the other clan." Concluded Falconstar, moving away to talk to Lionstar. The two toms were old friends, and soon they were deep in a light-hearted conversation.

"So what's up?" meowed Blueberry, her blue gaze scanning the crowd. "Is Sandcloud here?" she mewed, turning back to Lilyheart. She nodded.

"She should be somewhere. Over there, near the ferns." She replied, pointing with her tail. Sandcloud noticed her and came over, red pelt glinting in the moonlight.

"Hi, Blueberry, Lilyheart. Congratulations, Blueberry!" she greeted, touching noses with the blue she-cat. "Oh, I found a new patch of horsetail near…" Lilyheart backed away slowly, not wanting to listen to medicine cat talk. She bumped into another cat and turned around to see Shadeclaw, watching her with amused eyes.

"Hello, Lilyheart." He meowed cooly, sitting down comfortably. Lilyheart gaped at him. This was the first time he had spoke to her since…the break-up.

"Shadeclaw." She stated sternly, not looking him in the eyes.

"How are you tonight, beautiful?" he meowed, bending his head to eye level with her.

"Fine, until you got here. Look, I don't have time for games, so I'll be going now." She muttered sharply, and turned to leave. Shadeclaw stepped in her way and lay his tail on her shoulder.

"Lilyheart, we need to talk. Please." He meowed, getting desperate. The silver tabby shook her head. "Look, I'm sorry. I was young…"

"I say the same excuse as to why I went out with you!" she hissed, and Shadeclaw recoiled as though he'd been hit. Lilyheart felt bad. Maybe he really was sincere…

"I'm sorry, Shadeclaw, but it's just not going to work with us." He looked like he was going to argue, but stopped himself.

"Okay. I understand. Can we just be friends though? I really regret what I said." She sighed. Did he have to speak so perfectly?

"…I…guess…" The grey tom smiled, but Lilyheart continued. "But _only _friends. I don't want a close relationship with you. Not _ever_." Shadeclaw nodded, happy with her response. "Goodbye." She meowed, turning away. But once again, he stopped her.

"What now?" she breathed, looking into his perfect amber eyes….

"As friends," he said the first part carefully, "will you go on a walk with me..?"

"As friends." She meowed firmly, padding beside him into the dark forest.

**How was it? Do you like the LilyXShade relationship?...I think it's sweet, but there's something about Shadeclaw I don't like (yes, I know they're just characters I made up, but…). Please review! I'll update quicker if I get more reviews!**

**~Jaffa Maze **


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own warriors.**

**Behold, the great and long chapter three! I promise it will be interesting with lots of Romance and Violence….**

Out in the city, it was pitch black. No weak-skins had pursued Arrow since his escape three days ago. In that time, he had eaten out of 'food-cages' which were large cylinders containing scraps and things, and slept in trees beside quieter roads. He had only come across two cats, whom had avoided him anyway.

"Hey you!" yowled a voice from behind him, and he turned to see a white tom head his way. Arrow perked his ears and watched intently. The cat didn't seem threatening, but Arrow didn't like the look of him. His fur was white, but matted and dirtied to the point that it appeared grey. One of his ears was torn and scars decorated his muscluar body.

"Are you talking to me?" He asked loudly when the cat was a mover-length away. The tom smiled slyly and continued to walk closer. Arrow unsheathed his claws. "Are you?" The tom paused for a second to study the cat before him.

"Nah I was talking to the invisible cat behind you." Chuckled the rogue. When he saw that Arrow wasn't laughing, he stopped. "Think your so tough, big boy? What's your name?" Arrow shook his head.

"I want to know _yours_ first and what you want with me." The tom smiled again.

"The name's Bite. I just want to know why you're here, that's all. And who you are."

"Why." Arrow meowed firmly, and the tom didn't pause.

"Because."

"Why."

"Because."

"Why."

"Because!" screeched the tom, hurting Arrow's ears. "Tooth, Beast! Get over here!" Arrow turned to see a two muscular grey toms appear from behind a fence. They surrounded Arrow, and Bite bared his fangs. "Now tell us who you are and what you want, and you'll leave _alive_." He ordered, stretching the last word. Arrow could hear Tooth and Beast unsheath their claws and tense up. If there was going to be a fight, Arrow might lose.

"No." he meowed. Never in his life had he been bullied around, and he'd rather die a fighter than tell them and have to live with it the rest of his life.

"Are you sure? Cos' you see, we run this neighbourhood and we don't like kittypets with spirit. Do we Beast?" The tom grunted in agreement. "Let's teach this mouse-brain a lesson!"

"Oh, how sweet!" meowed Fernstream, her blue eyes glowing. "I never thought that Shadeclaw could be so…loving!" Lilyheart sighed. She knew only too well how easily she had fallen back in love with him.

"I know, but..." at that moment, Waterspirit walked in.

"Hello Fernstream, Lilyheart. You don't happen to know where Fishscale is…?" Fernstream shook her head but Lilyheart nodded. She always seemed to know where everyone was.

"I think I saw him hunting with Icelake over near Cliff-Peak." The blue she-cat nodded her thanks and left to go find her mate.

"You were saying?" meowed Fernstream when she had left. Lilyheart flicked her silver and black tail frustratedly.

"Never mind."

_She opened her eyes to a starry scene, with a beautiful silver tabby padding towards her. It was like looking into her reflection; the she-cat had the same pattern of black on silver and her eyes were the same watery blue. "Greetings, my daughter." She meowed cooly, touching noses with her and wrapping a striped tail around her._

"_Mother!" she cried, drinking in her sweet scent. "Why are you here?" she asked, eyes closed in her mother's silky fur._

"_I have come to warn you about something." She replied, eyes serious again. "Love is wonderful, but be careful. Love is not invincible." Lilyheart looked up into her mother's blue eyes._

"_But mother, I know break-ups hurt but Shadeclaw and me…" Rosetail shook her head gently._

"_Here's a poem my mother once told me: Two are united but their minds are apart, nothing's more fragile than a once- broken heart." She mewed as she disappeared into blackness. _

"_Rosetail! Mother! Don't go!" she cried._

"Lilyheart!" hissed someone, prodding her with a paw. "Be quiet, you mouse-brain before you wake the whole den up!" She opened one eye and saw Squirrelfur staring at her with worried amber eyes. "Good, your awake. Come with me." Lilyheart obeyed, and padded into the dawn light with her. When they had gone just outside of camp, they stopped. "Now what's all this Rosetail talk about?" She asked gently. Squirrelfur had been her mother's best friend and had cared for her when Rosetail had died.

"She came to me in a dream." Lilyheart mewed, and Squirrelfur laid her tail on her back.

"It's okay, Lilyheart. We all get visits from our families every now and then. My mother still visits me-even my great-grandparents!"

"What're their names?" Lilyheart asked, suddenly interested in her foster-parent's family. The red she-cat looked at her, surprised.

"What, my parents?" Lilyheart nodded. "Okay, well, my mother's name was Honeyblossom and my father's was Elmwood."

"Tell me about them." She mewed, comforted by Squirrelfur's easy-going nature.

"Honeyblossom was a beautiful gold colour and had bright amber eyes and Elmwood is a brown tabby with green eyes. I know, don't ask where my pelt colour came from!" she chuckled, but Lilyheart was more interested in what she'd first said.

"Is?" The red she-cat looked at her again.

"Pardon?"

"You said 'is'. Where's Elmwood now?" Squirrelfur looked deflated.

"I don't know." 

The first tom flung himself at Arrow with such force that he knocked the breath out of him. In defence, Arrow jerked around and swatted him, shocking the attacker for an instant. He launched himself out of the tangle and leaped onto a surprised Bite's back.

"BEAST, TOOTH!" he screeched, trying to wriggle away. _How pathetic, _thought Arrow as he bit hard into Bite's shoulder. The tom let out a shriek of pure agony and one of the grey toms tackled Arrow off. He squirmed under the other cat's weight but managed to pull him off and fling him into Bite who was just recovering. He was panting as he circled the other grey tom but it was obvious who was more skilled. Arrow stalked him like prey, whilst the other cat stumbled around and had to keep looking where he was going so that he didn't trip. "Tooth, kill him!" hissed Bite, limping forwards with Beast at his side. "You think you're so good, don't you?" Seathed Bite as Arrow ducked under Tooth's paw and ripped a gash along his side. Beast joined in again, only to receive the same fate as Tooth. Bite retreated backwards. "FANG, STING, SCAR, BLOOD! GET OVER HERE!" Arrow looked around nevously. There were more? All of a sudden, a ginger tom flung himslef at Arrow and sliced open a long, deep cut. Arrow yowled in surprise and cut his own mark in his opponent but another tom, this time a black one, jumped onto his back.

"What's wrong, kitty? Not so tough now!" he hissed, ripping Arrow's ear to shreds. He could see two more cats watching on the outside, and his former opponents hiding their pain while laughing at his struggle. He was outnumbered, and he knew it. Even fighting cats die.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Meowed a newcomer, a sense of authority coming off him. "A troublesome kittypet." Arrow wriggled to get a better look at the speaker, and the black tom took the opportunity to hold him down with the ginger tom's help. "So, who might you be? Be careful what you say, for they could be your last words." He added, a silver claw glinting in the darkness.

"I'm not…" he paused as his guards tightened their grip. "…a kittypet." The leader smiled.

"Of course not. No kittypet could have put up such a fight-you must be an esaped fighting-cat, I'll bet." Arrow flinched and the tabby leader chuckled. "Looks like I was right. Fang, Sting, let the prisoner up; he can't escape." The two toms did so, and Arrow immediately stood up. His claws remained unsheathed, but he let his posture relax.

"What do you want with me?" he hissed, trying to control is temper. Fang and Sting tensed up, ready to attack on the slightest signal.

"Hush, hush, my friend. _We_ will ask the questions first." Meowed the leader, obviously amused. "Bite," The white tom looked up from licking his cuts. "take Beast and Tooth to go see Java. Sting, Fang and Scar, escort our friend to my den. Blood, come with me." he ordered, padding away. Arrow was shoved forward by a pale grey tom, who must've been Scar. He worked out that Sting was the black tom and that Fang must be the ginger tom, because Fang had a longer teeth and Sting's claws were as long as Arrow's. He wondered whether he had been a fighting cat once.

"Close your eyes." Ordered Sting, "open them and you lose them." He threatened firmly. Arrow could tell that he wasn't lying so he did as he was told, following their scents and being occasionally pushed back on the right track by one of the guards. He hadn't eaten since the morning, and his stomach felt empty. To top it off, his scratches burnt and his cuts stung. "Duck." Cautioned Sting unemotionally, and Arrow did so and felt a roof go over his head. The air became musty and earth smelling, and a rotten smell surrounded him. Just when he felt like he was going to choke, a wave of cleaner air hit him but the rotteness remained. Where am I? He thought, trying to figure it out by sniffing. He felt the guards stare at him then quickly turn away under someone's, probably Sting's glare.

"You can open your eyes." Meowed Sting, and Arrow looked at his surroundings. It was getting lighter as dawn neared, and garbage littered everything. Dead movers lay here and there, and one particurly shiny one was parked in front of him. Sting told him to stay put whilst he checked for their leader. He came back after a moment. "Fang, Blood, stay here. You," he meowed turning his green eyes to Arrow, "come with me."

Lilyheart was bored. Lionstar had already gotten Brightcloud to set the patrols, which she wasn't included in so she had the whole afternoon to herself. Both Freesiapelt and Fernstream were away, and the only cats left in camp were either too old or young to talk to.

"Lilyheart!" meowed Lionstar, padding towards her. "Would you escort Badgertail to Meadowclan tonight? He wishes to change clans so that he can be with Tealwing." _Tealwing?_ Thought Lilyheart, _I never knew Badgertail liked her! He's barely a warrior! I wonder what his mum, Forestfoot thinks?_ "You can stay the night but I want you back by mid-afternoon tomorrow. Okay?" Lilyheart nodded. "good. I'll see you then." The golden tom padded away and Lilyheart trotted over to the entrance of the camp. She was going to see Shadeclaw! A moon ago she would've screeched at the thought but now she couldn't wait. As she entered the forest she saw a silver tabby waiting for her.

"Two are united but their minds are apart; nothing's more fragile than a once-broken heart…" She warned. Lilyheart froze in shock and Rosetail disappeared to be replaced by a black and white tom.

"You alright, Lilyheart?" Badgertail meowed. "Someone else can escort me…"

"No, no. I'm fine, I just thought I saw something that's all. Come on." She quickly meowed, and Badgertail smiled.

"Okay!"

It was late afternoon by the time they reached Meadowclans' camp. It was grassy there, and shrubs scattered the meadows that they got their name from. She had found out that Forestfoot didn't mind him going, because she highly regarded Tealwing. Badgertail was free to move clans now that he was a warrior, so she wouldn't have been able to stop hi anyway. "Badgertail! Lilyheart!" meowed Falconstar who had seen them coming. "Tealwing, Badgertail's here!" he yowled and a turquoise-eyed she-cat came running out.

"Badgertail!" she cried, and the mates nuzzled each-other. Lilyheart was led by Falconstar back ito camp.

"Are you staying the night?" he asked, and Lilyheart nodded. "Good. I have to go organize some things with Thunderheart now, so just amuse yourself." She watched him go and didn't notice Shadeclaw sneak up on her.

"Hey, I didn't know you were coming." He meowed and she jumped. Shadeclaw chuckled and touched noses with her. "How long you here for?"

"Overnight. I have to be back by mid-afternoon tomorrow." She meowed, secretly pleased that he had found her, and she hadn't had to find him. "Are you free tonight?" she asked and the grey tom blinked in surprise. He'd obviously thought he'd have to ask that question. He quickly recovered and whispered in her ear.

"I'm always free for you…" Lilyheart smiled, all traces of cautiousness forgotten. Leading him by her tail, they padded out of the bramble tunnel, only to come face to face with with a brown tabby. "Junipercloud!" meowed Shadeclaw in shock and his ex-mate glared at him.

"What do you want?" she hissed and noticed Lilyheart next to him, tails intertwined. "Lilyheart." She muttered, really angry now. Stormshine, a silver she-cat, called her name. Junipercloud turned and shoved past them. "Fox-hearted rat!" She hissed as she left, and Shadeclaw recoiled.

Lilyheart and Shadeclaw were quiet until they got to some shrubs and trees on the edge of Meadowclan's border.

"So…" she began, unsure of what to say. Shadeclaw looked at her with amused amber eyes. "Now wha-" Shadeclaw tackled her over and they rolled along the lush grass, playfighting. The moment was perfect, and with stars shining overhead she felt like she was in Starclan already. Maybe life _was_ all honey and flowers…

"I'm sorry." Meowed Shadeclaw when they were side by side staring at the stars. Lilyheart looked at him. He also turned his big, grey head to her. They stayed like that for a moment.

"For what?" she mewed. He shuffled closer.

"For saying those things. For leaving you for Junipercloud. I…" she touched her nose to his.

"Shhh…" she soothed. "I forgive you. I never stopped loving you. Even when you said those things." Shadeclaw smiled.

"Thankyou. I love you, Lilyheart. I really do."

"I love you too."

**Aaaawwwwww! How cute! Romantic interludes = trouble:) Review!**

**~Jaffa Maze**


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